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Winter Biking

Posted by DanielA in BikeAhead - (Comments Off)

led bicycle lightsThere’s something so invigorating about riding in the dark when it is cold. When you’re alone on the road with cars sliding past you or stuck in traffic and you are zipping past them and the people breathing smoke at the crosswalks, stepping back onto the curb to get out of your way, watching you as you fly past them, you, not waiting for anything. You are working half on adrenaline and half the desire to get home out of the cold, all the while embracing it for how alive it makes you feel.

gotta put more air in this back tire, you think as you hop over a large pothole, good thing i oiled up the chain this morning, the ride is so much smoother than it was…

Yes, you remind yourself not to neglect your bike supplies and maintenance just because it’s cold — your bike still requires certain activity from you in order to work well. So carry your bike supplies on you as you turn on your LED bicycle lights and work through the darkness emerging into your yellow-lighted apartment where you boil spaghetti and heat last night’s meat sauce. That is going to make you feel a lot better about biking tomorrow because it’s supposed to snow…

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Biking Safely With Headphones

Posted by DanielA in BikeAhead - (Comments Off)

bicycle headlightsBiking in the winter can be demoralizing. Cars drive fast, people walk with their heads down, and when the wind picks up your nose burns and your hands get numb. It can be good to add something to your ride to keep you going. Headphones with your choice music can be a good idea. But there are certain ways to bike safely with these bike supplies which involve calling upon your other senses.

First off, don’t listen to your music too loudly. You want to be able to hear it over the roars of cars, trucks and buses, but it should never be so loud that it hurts your ears when you’re not riding in traffic. Listen at a sensible volume so that you know if a car is honking at you to move over.

When approaching intersections, keep your eyes open. Think about what kind of intersection this is: a stop sign, a stop light or a four lane highway. Be judicious accordingly.

Be aware of your surroundings. You can feel when you are too close to cars, so know how much space you need between the side of the road and the road itself.

Use LED bicycle lights and bicycle headlights too. That way you can stay motivated and safe.

 

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Traveling to New Neighborhoods With an Onguard Bicycle Lock

Posted by DanielA in BikeAhead - (Comments Off)

onguard bicycle lockBiking in rough parts of town can be interesting to say the least. New neighborhoods can help relieve the tedium of biking along your normal route — everything will seem new again. Just try to stay off main roads with a lot of debris and no bike lane, that’s begging for a flat, and you don’t really want to be stuck out of your element. You may receive weird looks, but that shouldn’t bother you; they’re mostly looks of surprise. Who knows, there could be some really delicious restaurants along the way too. If you have to lock your bike up, don’t worry, just don’t leave it overnight. It’s a good idea to have a quality lock, however, such as an Onguard bicycle lock. That way even if you do lock your bike up overnight, it should be safe.

You may want to bring your seat inside wherever you’re going. Biking without a seat is no fun — you have to stand the whole time, which while going up hills is okay, but when cruising, is a major pain. If possible bring your bike inside with you wherever you go. It’s better to be safe than sorry. When exploring make sure you have bike accessories and your Onguard bicycle lock so you can go anywhere you please!

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Bike Supplies to Re-Center My Wheel

Posted by DanielA in BikeAhead - (Comments Off)

bike accessoriesI was riding to work this morning when suddenly I felt my back tire begin to freeze up. It was the brakes. So I took out my bike supplies and tried to re-center the cantilever and brake calipers. The wheel spun freely, but when I got back on the bike and tried to ride, it wouldn’t work — the wheel was stuck.

So I thought back to what else could be wrong. I had recently fixed a flat, perhaps I had installed the wheel crookedly. So with my wrench, my favorite of all bike supplies, I loosened my wheel and attempted to re-center it. The wheel wasn’t out of true, so it spun properly.

By placing a finger on each side of the fork I was able to determine that the wheel was about an eighth of an inch to the left. Sure enough, that was the problem. After I re-centered it, it spun with ease; it wasn’t my brakes’ fault at all.

I apologized for knocking them around, got back on and rode away. Luckily, I had my bike accessories all on me, or else I would’ve had to walk a good cold mile to take it to a bike shop.

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